Supporting Your Volunteer Fire Department: Michael Valliant

A Case for Supporting Your Volunteer Fire Department

by Michael Valliant

It is not a stretch to say that community life on the Eastern Shore depends upon volunteer fire departments. They save lives, they show up in our darkest hours, they put their own lives at risk going into burning buildings and houses. Those are the end results that we can picture. But fire departments and the work they do for and in their towns actually help to create the sense of community that we know and love on the Shore.

It takes time, effort, training, money and support on the part of a dwindling number of volunteers to keep fire departments running. In the state of Maryland, there are 365 volunteer fire departments. Roughly 25,000 volunteers respond to hundreds of thousands of calls for fire, rescue and emergency medical services each year. They are always on call.

Narrowing those numbers down, in 2019, Easton Volunteer Fire Department responded to 1,099 calls. Each of those calls has a person, people or family in need at the other end of it.

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One of the calls they responded to this year was my parents’ house catching fire in Oxford. I drove to the house from Easton as soon as I heard, and the Oxford, Easton and Trappe volunteer firefighters were already on the scene and working to put out the fire. Our family stood across the street at my cousin’s house as dozens of firefighters brought the fire under control, using a ladder truck to cut holes in the roof so they could get water into the house from multiple points.

Volunteers were in and out of the house, thick with smoke, wearing full turn-out gear in August. They compassionately brought out the wrapped bodies of two cats who didn’t survive. The fire auxiliary volunteers checked in on my parents throughout the day to see if they needed anything. And Oxford’s fire chief and other firefighters stayed long after the fire had been contained to answer questions and to be there for support.

These were moments no one wants to go through. But because of volunteer firefighters, a terrible event was more manageable.

Fire departments work together, across companies. Three companies responding to my parents’ fire is the norm. At a recent house fire near the Knapps Narrows Bridge, Tilghman, St. Michaels, Easton and Trappe departments all responded. When someone is in need, firefighters and EMTs show up.

In Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties, there are 43 volunteer fire departments. There are so many ways to support each department, from going to the community events they put on ~ pancake breakfasts to bingo, rummage sales to cookouts ~ to giving money to fund drives.

Brett Whitehead found a differ-

Support Your V.F.D. sense for the level of commitment found at fire departments throughout the Shore. For an article I wrote about the Oxford Volunteer Fire Department a few years ago, longtime firefighter Mike Greenhawk pointed out that a couple decades ago in Oxford, 15 to 20 people would show up for every call, whereas now they see four or five people responding on a regular basis. It’s impossible to put a price tag ent way to support the Easton Vol- on what volunteer fire departments unteer Fire Department. With CO- are worth to communities. But the VID-19 having such a big impact on National Fire Protection Associathe community, he thought about tion issued a report showing that how he wanted to help. At 67 years volunteer departments save muold, he completed his Firefighter nicipalities and taxpayers roughly I class through the Maryland Fire $140 billion per year in firefighting and Rescue Institute and is one of costs. the newest members of EVFD. Money isn’t what comes to mind

Firefighter I is a required class when people see volunteers refor anyone who wants to be a vol- sponding to their emergencies. As unteer firefighter. It’s a four-month a new firefighter, Whitehead points class that meets twice a week, as out that he knows far less than so well as some weekends, for a total many volunteers at the various deof 135 hours. It involves classroom training, homework and practical skills evolutions.

In addition to completing Firefighter I, volunteers must pass CPR and a medical course. And, for EVFD, new members must respond to 36 calls per quarter. If you think about each volunteer putting in at least that much time just to get started, then additional training and school and the time spent in company drills, you begin to get a 32

partments. But why someone who is close to retirement age wants to begin to volunteer ~ why someone at 67 is taking a class in which the average participant is in their 20s ~ speaks to exactly why we need to shine a light on our fire companies.

EVFD’s motto is “Service for Others.” That phrase captures the spirit of volunteer fire departments in general ~ serving others in their/ our times of greatest need.

Across the Shore, our volunteer firefighters are there. If they are going to continue to be there, they need our support. In this issue of Tidewater Times, there are listings and contact information for fire departments across the Mid-Shore. As we get close to the end of the year, consider supporting your local company ~ make a tax-deductible contribution. Or find out how you can volunteer your time ~ see how you can get involved.

This article is the first in a series that will look at how volunteer fire departments make a difference in our communities. Without them, we wouldn’t be the same.

Kurt Vonnegut wrote, “I can think of no more stirring symbol of

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man’s humanity to man than a fire engine.” When we think about what that means ~ neighbors helping neighbors, responding to emergencies, acting on behalf of the needs of others ~ we can do our part to help them respond.

Michael Valliant is the Assistant for Adult Education and Newcomers Ministry at Christ Church Easton. He has worked for non-profi t organizations throughout Talbot County, including the Oxford Community Center, Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and Academy Art Museum.

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Dorchester County:

Rescue Fire Co.- P.O. Box 766, Cambridge, MD 21613 · 410.228.1670 Neck District Vol. Fire Co.- 954 Cook Point Rd., Cambridge, MD 21613 · 410.228.2434 Church Creek Vol. Fire Co. - P.O. Box 16, Church Creek, MD 21622 · 410.228.4156 East New Market Vol. Fire Depart. - P.O. Box 280, East New Market, MD 21631· 410.943.3663 Hurlock Vol. Fire Co. - P.O. Box 178, Hurlock, MD 21643 · 410.943.3110 Madison Vol. Fire Co. - P.O. Box 23, Madison, MD 21648 · 410.228.8703 Eldorado Brookview Vol. Fire Dept. - 5752 Rhodesdale-Eldorado Rd., Rhodesdale, MD, 21659 · 410.943.4004 Secretary Volunteer Fire Dept. - 115 Myrtle St., Secretary, MD 21664 · 410.943.3545 Taylors Island Vol. Fire Co. - P.O. Box 277, Taylors Island, MD 21669 · 410.397.3524 Vienna Vol. Fire Co. - P.O. Box 5, Vienna, MD 21869 · 410.376.3319 Lakes and Straits Vol. Fire Co. - 2103 Farm Creek Rd., Wingate, MD 21675 · 410.397.8154

Talbot County:

Oxford Fire Co. Inc. - 300 Oxford Rd., Oxford, MD 21654 · 410.226.5110 Trappe Vol. Fire Co. Inc. - P.O. Box 86 Trappe, MD 21673 · 410.476.3535 St. Michaels Fire Depart.,Inc. - 1001 South Talbot St., St. Michaels, MD 21663 · 410.745.9393 Cordova Vol. Firemens Assoc. - P.O. Box 102, Cordova, MD 21625 · 410.364.5400 Easton Vol. Fire Dept. - P.O. Box 851, Easton, MD 21601 · 410.822.4848 Tilghman Vol. Fire Co. Inc. - P.O. Box 297 Tilghman, MD 21671 · 410.886.2101 Queen Anne – Hillsboro Vol. Fire Co. - P.O. Box 226, Queen Anne, MD 21657 · 410.364.5612

Caroline County:

Federalsburg Vol. Fire Co. - P.O. Box 99, Federalsburg, MD 21632 · 410.754.7400 Preston Vol. Fire Co.- P.O. Box 44, Preston, MD 21655 · 410.673.7874 Denton Vol. Fire Co. - 400 South Fifth Avenue, Denton, MD 21629 · 410.479.2121 Ridgely Vol. Fire Dept. - P.O. Box 425, Ridgely, MD 21660 · 410.634.2424 Greensboro Vol. Fire Co. - P.O. Box 307, Greensboro, MD 21639 · 410.482.8420 Goldsboro Vol. Fire Co. - P.O. Box 35, Goldsboro, MD 21636 · 410.482.6196 Queen Anne Hillsboro Vol. Fire Co. - P.O. Box 226, Queen Anne, MD 21657· 410.364.5612

Queen Anne’s County:

Kent Island Vol. Fire Dept. - 1610 Main St., Chester, MD 21619 · 410.643.5454 Grasonville Vol. Fire Dept. - 4128 Main St., Grasonville, MD 21619 · 410.827.8100 Queestown Vol. Fire Dept. - 7110 Main St., Queenstown, MD 21658 · 410.827.8377